'Stevie's on a different level' - Owen ranks Gerrard ahead of Scholes & Lampard

Michael Owen has weighed in on the debate over whether Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard was England's best midfield player.

Owen played with all three players at international level with England, whilst training day in, day out with Gerrard and Scholes during his spells at Liverpool and Manchester United.

The debate over which of the three midfielders has rumbled on between for years and Owen has given his verdict.

Owen purred over Scholes' passing ability and Lampard's goal-scoring record but sided with Gerrard as the man he would pick to have in his team if he was forced to choose.

"If you watch Scholesy in training, your tongue is hanging out," Owen told Jamie Carragher on The Greatest Game podcast.

"He can give you the eyes, you can think he's heading it that way and he'll almost do a reverse spinner off the other side of his head. He can drop a ball on a six pence. He is just total and utter genius.

"Frank Lampard, who can question his goalscoring and how he got every ounce out of out of his ability?

"But to me, Stevie's on a different level than anything I've seen or played with and as you've said, I'm not blowing smoke up my a---, I've played with some great Man United players, Liverpool players, Real Madrid, England.

"Put it this way. If I'm saying tomorrow rewind the clock, you're going into battle now, you're playing in the Champions League final, who's your first pick? I'd have Steven Gerrard as my first pick out of everyone."

Gerrard was the only one of the three players to fail to win a Premier League title throughout his career, with Scholes lifting the trophy 11 times with United and Lampard on three occasions for Chelsea.